Pull belt for an inflatable device

ABSTRACT

A pull belt is adapted for use in an inflatable device, and includes a main belt body having opposite first and second lengthwise end portions and formed with at least one first pleat at the first lengthwise end portion to bend the main belt body at the at least one first pleat toward the first lengthwise end portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Chinese Application No. 201120239531.8, filed on Jul. 8, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a pull belt, more particularly to a pull belt for an inflatable device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Inflatable devices, while not in use, can be deflated to facilitate storage and transport thereof, and are widely used, examples of which include inflatable boats and beds. In order to form a predetermined shape after the inflatable device is inflated, and to prevent undesired deformation of the inflatable device due to overinflation, at least one pull belt may be applied in the inflatable device.

The pull belt is generally disposed in the inflatable device, and interconnects opposite end sheets of the inflatable device. If a particular shape of the inflatable device is desired, for instance, the raising ends of an inflatable boat, at least one pull belt with curved portions instead of an elongated pull belt has to be applied in the inflatable device.

Generally, a conventional curved pull belt is directly cut from a cloth material, and has an unchangeable shape. If an alteration of the shape of the inflatable device is desired after the production of the original conventional pull belts of the inflatable device, new pull belts that fit with the modified shape of the inflatable device are required. Therefore, the conventional pull belt has relatively low flexibility in use, and the consumption of the cloth material is relatively high. Moreover, the conventional curved pull belt has insufficient tensile strength at the curved portion thereof. Hence, the curved portions may be stretched to be straight after the inflation of the inflatable device and unable to impart the inflated inflatable device with the predetermined shape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a pull belt that has at least one curved portion and the position of the at least one curved portion may vary as required.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable device including at least one of the abovementioned pull belt.

Accordingly, a pull belt is adapted for use in an inflatable device which includes spaced-apart first and second sheet sections. The pull belt comprises a main belt body having opposite first and second lengthwise end portions that are adapted to be secured respectively to the first and second sheet sections. The main belt body is formed with at least one first pleat at the first lengthwise end portion to bend the main belt body at the at least one first pleat toward the first lengthwise end portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inflatable device including a plurality of pull belts according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective sectional view illustrating the preferred embodiment of the pull belt that is connected between two sheet portions of the inflatable device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of a pull belt 3 according to the present invention is adapted for use in an inflatable device, such as an inflatable boat. The inflatable device has spaced-apart first and second sheet sections 1, 2, and a gas valve (not shown) disposed on one of the first and second sheet sections 1, 2, such that the inflatable device can be inflated or deflated via the gas valve. The inflatable device uses a plurality of the pull belts 3 (only one is visible).

The first and second sheet sections 1, 2 cooperatively define an inflation space 6, and the pull belts 3 are disposed in the inflation space 6 in a parallel arrangement and are secured to the sheet sections 1, 2. Each of the pull belts 3 has a main belt body 31 having opposite first and second lengthwise end portions 311, 312 that extend along a lengthwise direction (L1) and that are secured respectively to the first and second sheet sections 1, 2. In this embodiment, the main belt body 31 is formed with a plurality of pleats 313 at a front portion thereof. Each of the pleats 313 has a crease portion at the first lengthwise end portion 311 thereof. The crease portion of each pleat 313 extends transversely from the first lengthwise end portion 311 toward the second lengthwise end portion 312. As such, the main belt body 31 is bent at the pleats 313 toward the first lengthwise end portion 311 and form a bent segment of the main belt body 31. By virtue of the bent segment of the pull belts 3, the inflatable device would have a boat-like shape with a rising front end after inflation. Preferably, each of the pull belts 3 further includes a reinforcing member 33 secured to the main belt body 31 and extending along the lengthwise direction (L1) to intersect the pleats 313 so as to enhance the tensile strength of the bent segment of the main belt body 31.

With further reference to FIG. 3, the method of manufacturing the inflatable device is illustrated as follows.

The first and second sheet sections 1, 2 are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and the peripheries of the first and second sheet sections 1, 2 are bound together by high-frequency hot melting process. A strengthening belt 4 is further welded at the binding part of the first and second sheet sections 1, 2 to reinforce the strength of the binding part of the first and second sheet sections 1, 2 for bearing the tension after inflation of the inflatable device.

The main belt body 31 and the reinforcing member 33 of each pull belt 3 are made of non-extendible elongated cloth. For each pull belt 3, the pleats 313 of the main belt body 31 are formed by sewing at the first lengthwise end portion 311, so that the length of the first lengthwise end portion 311 is shortened to result in the bent segment of the main belt body 31. The reinforcing member 33 is also sewed to be secured to the main belt body 31. In the preferred embodiment, each pull belt 3 has four pleats 313, but the number of the pleats 313 may vary as required. Referring further to FIG. 4, before being secured to the first and second sheet sections 1, 2, the first and second lengthwise end portions 311, 312 of the main belt body 31 of each pull belt 3 are folded and secured respectively to two fixing belts 5 to thereby form an H-shaped structure for ensuring that a structural strength of the H-shaped structure is sufficient to bear the tension after the inflation of the inflatable device. Each of the fixing belts 5 is composed of a PVC layer and a cloth layer that has the same material as the main belt body 31. The cloth layer is sewed to a respective one of the folded first and second lengthwise end portions 311, 312 of the main belt body 31, and the PVC layer is welded to a respective one of the first and second sheet sections 1, 2.

In addition, the inflatable device may be formed into different shapes in different applications, such as an inflatable slider for children. Each pull belt 3 may be formed with a plurality of bent segments toward different directions. For instance, a main belt body 31 may have a plurality of pleats 313 formed at the first lengthwise end portion 311, and a plurality of pleats 313 formed simultaneously at the second lengthwise end portion 312. The crease portion of each pleat 313 at the first lengthwise end portion 311 extends transversely from the first lengthwise end portion 311 toward the second lengthwise end portion 312 and the crease portion of each pleat 313 at the second lengthwise end portion 312 extends transversely from the second lengthwise end portion 312 toward the first lengthwise end portion 311. As such, a plurality of bent segments can be formed in each pull belt 3 indifferent directions.

To sum up, the shape of the inflatable device of the present invention has more flexibility of alteration due to the pleats 313 on the pull belts 3. Moreover, the location of each pleat 313 on each pull belt 3 can be adjusted as required to result in different shapes of each pull belt 3.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A pull belt adapted for use in an inflatable device, the inflatable device including spaced-apart first and second sheet sections, said pull belt comprising: a main belt body having opposite first and second lengthwise end portions that are adapted to be secured respectively to the first and second sheet sections, and formed with at least one first pleat at said first lengthwise end portion to bend said main belt body at said at least one first pleat toward said first lengthwise end portion.
 2. The pull belt as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one first pleat has a crease portion extending transversely from said first lengthwise end portion of said main belt body toward said second lengthwise end portion of said main belt body.
 3. The pull belt as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing member secured to and intersecting said at least one pleat of said main belt body.
 4. The pull belt as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main belt body is further formed with at least one second pleat at said second lengthwise end portion to further bend said main belt body at said at least one second pleat toward said second lengthwise end portion.
 5. The pull belt as claimed in claim 4, wherein: said at least one first pleat has a crease portion extending transversely from said first lengthwise end portion of said main belt body toward said second lengthwise end portion of said main belt body; and said at least one second pleat has a crease portion extending transversely from said second lengthwise end portion toward said first lengthwise end portion.
 6. An inflatable device comprising: first and second sheet sections that are spaced apart from each other; and at least one pull belt that includes a main belt body having opposite first and second lengthwise end portions that are secured respectively to said first and second sheet sections, and formed with at least one first pleat at said first lengthwise end portion to bend said main belt body at said at least one first pleat toward said first lengthwise end portion.
 7. The inflatable device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said at least one first pleat of said main belt body of said pull belt has a crease portion extending transversely from said first lengthwise end portion of said main belt body toward said second lengthwise end portion of said main belt body.
 8. The inflatable device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said pull belt further includes a reinforcing member secured to and intersecting said at least one first pleat of said main belt body.
 9. The inflatable device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said main belt body of said pull belt is further formed with at least one second pleat at said second lengthwise end portion to further bend said main belt body at said at least one second pleat toward said second lengthwise end portion.
 10. The inflatable device as claimed in claim 9, wherein: said at least one first pleat has a crease portion extending transversely from said first lengthwise end portion of said main belt body toward said second lengthwise end portion of said main belt body; and said at least one second pleat has a crease portion extending transversely from said second lengthwise end portion toward said first lengthwise end portion. 